


Beneath the Alder Tree

by Harky21



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-24
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-18 15:33:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2353496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harky21/pseuds/Harky21
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I've experienced many things in my time. I've seen storms brew and felt the earth quake. But there's one thing that I'd only ever heard of in the whistling of the wind and on the dying breaths of men." Beneath the branches of an alder tree a boy and a girl from enemy clans meet and learn that they may not be as different from each other as they thought. Rating may change in later chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Meeting

Beneath The Alder Tree- Chapter 1: Meeting

I’ve experienced many things in my time. I’ve seen storms brew and felt the earth quake. I’ve seen my brethren burnt to ash and new saplings spring from their ruins. I’ve seen humans war with each other until none are left standing and the birth of new life. But there’s one thing that I’d only ever heard of in the whistling of the wind and on the dying breaths of men. I didn’t expect to see it and only had a vague notion until recently of what it entailed. For you see, it is hard to understand human emotions such as love when you are rooted to one spot. 

Oh, excuse me. I’m being rude, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Nairn, the old alder tree at the center of the meadow in the forest. My meadow is located between two villages, the Fire and Water clan villages to be exact. I know you must be thinking it doesn’t matter what the villages I live between are. All villages are the same. They have houses and taverns and roads and little people that walk through the streets with seeming purpose only to end up wandering about with none. But the Fire and Water villages are a special case. They have warred with each other since I was a young sapling. I have seen the pain, fear, and anger their fighting brings. My meadow has been coated red with blood many times as the dispute has waxed and waned over the years. Recently two wise men have held the positions of chief. Men I watched many times battle in my very meadow.  
Hakoda, chief of the Water Clan, was a strong, level-headed man with a heart as vast as the lake that gave the clan its name and a battle cry that could rally the spirit of any warrior. He led his people with strength in body, heart, and mind, but with a gentle touch. 

Iroh, chief of the Fire Clan, was a mastermind at tactics and one of the best warriors either clan had seen. But even with his great prowess he reveled in the simple pleasures of life, and was not one for conflict, preferring a calming walk through the woods to battle. He had, in fact, walked my meadow many an evening, even during the height of war.  
When these two men rose in their clans the fighting slowed from battles to occasional skirmishes. Neither of them wanted to see more bloodshed, so they made a truce putting an end to the fighting that had plagued their people for far too long. With this truce they drew a border along my meadow. I saw very few humans during this time which leads me to the most interesting part of my story. Once the fighting slowed, two young humans took to wandering out to my meadow. 

One was a boy. His hair was black as a raven’s wing and he had a mark of fire that tore across his eye. I could tell by his red tinged clothes he was of the Fire Clan village, so I could only assume at that point it had been a training accident. He appeared to be lost the first time he visited me, for he wandered through the woods as if trying to find something. When he came upon the meadow’s edge he paused and looked at me. His golden eyes were tired and hard like a warrior who’d seen the unfathomable, but they softened back to a child’s as he came toward me. He was soon beside me looking up into my branches and then back to the forest. He sank slowly to the earth and leaned against my bark. It had been many years since a human sat serenely in my presence and I found it quite pleasant, but I couldn’t help but wonder why he was here. He stayed that first day almost till the sun set, leaving only once the shadows had grown long and robed the earth in violet. I thought that’d be the last I would see of him, but he continued to come day after day. It was as if he could feel the sun’s passing as my leaves did, for he always came at the same time every other day. I soon began to consider him my contemplative friend and looked forward to his presence beneath my branches.

The girl, however, was much more adventurous. The day she stumbled into my clearing she was chasing a butterfly. Her cerulean eyes were clear and as bright as the sky and the smile that graced her lips made my branches tingle with joy. She spotted me and ran. As she reached my trunk she leapt for my lowest limb and swung herself up. It surprised me, but I felt elated by her excitement as she treaded across my beams climbing as high as she could. Like the boy, she would stay for hours, but she came more sporadically. I never knew what day or hour she would appear. From the whispers of the other trees in the forest this was common for the Water Clan. They were people of change and schedules were more of a suggestion rather than an absolute. Unlike the Fire Clan boy she did not sit silently. She talked to me, telling me everything that came to her mind. I enjoyed listening to the stories of her brother and father very much even though I was unable to reply.

It went like this for some time. Both of them coming and going, but never meeting. Some days neither of them would come, others both came, but one at the beginning and one at the end. A few times just as one left the other appeared and that got me to wondering when fate would have it that they should arrive at the same time. 

It took much longer than I would have liked for that auspicious event. Three whole moon cycles had passed. It still makes my roots tingle with joy to remember that day, for it was quite… memorable. The girl raced out to me as usual immediately ascending to my highest branches and her favorite spot, a little crook that made a perfect seat. She started chatting to me right away. It was a story about her brother, Sokka, trying to get something called a fishhook out of his finger. She stopped talking almost immediately when he appeared right on time just like clockwork. 

She stared at him as he walked towards my trunk to his usual spot. He sat down, not glancing up this time. I could tell something was weighing more heavily on his mind than usual. It was easy to tell when this human was troubled because his brow furled and he frowned ever so slightly. The girl simply sat in the tree for a while, studying him, not making a sound. It was probably the quietest I have ever heard her. 

Finally, she started to inch down my trunk staying as quiet as she could. I could feel her small fingers tremble against my bark, what was this feeling she was having? It felt familiar. I had felt it in a human years before. A man caught in my branches with the enemy beneath him. Oh, what had they called it? Ah, yes. Fear. Her fingers were trembling with fear. So much in fact that she slipped and fell from my lower branches. She landed flat on her back next to the boy, the wind knocked out of her. 

He jumped slightly to the side, taken aback by the abrupt arrival of the girl. For an endless moment he simply stared and she simply laid there. Once she regained her breath she leapt away from him. Fear carved on her face as if it were stone. She huddled closely to my trunk trying to hide. I wanted to reach my branches down to cover her, but alas that is something I will never be able to do to my great regret. 

The boy maintained his distance, but then moved ever so slightly closer to the young girl. “Are you ok?” he asked warily.

She nodded her head, still huddled against my roots. 

“You aren’t hurt? That was some fall.” He looked up into my leaves. 

She looked up too, but not at me. She looked at him. Her natural curiosity taking over she asked, “Why haven’t you started attacking me yet? Aren’t going to set me on fire or hurt me?” She asked with her head peaking slightly above her arm.

He gave her a mortified look. “Why in the world would I do that?”

“Because you’re Fire Clan. All the elders said to be wary of your kind because you’ll beat and burn us.”

“Only because Water Clan is known for strangling and drowning us. What we do is to protect ourselves,” he said defensively.

“Your clan are the aggressors! We only fight to defend ourselves!” She asserted while finally uncovering her face and sitting up.

“Hardly,” he scoffed. “For years we’ve had to protect ourselves from your peoples ambushes! Maybe I should attack you. But you look a little too puny to be much of a challenge. The fight’d be a little too uneven. And in the Fire Clan you don’t take on an opponent beneath you. It’s dishonorable. How old are you anyway? 9, 10?” He said eyeing her curiously.

“I’m not puny!” She insisted, standing and puffing her chest out. I have to say I chuckled at this, for Katara was on the smaller side. 

“Could of fooled me,” he said raising an eyebrow. 

“I could beat you in a fight! You’re only what, 11 or 12? That’s not much older than I am,” she said taking a fighting stance. 

This made him rise. As he stood he looked at her, studying her form as if preparing to attack, but instead he crossed his arms and leaned against my trunk. “What’s your name?” he asked. 

I could tell this caught her off guard. Her stance faulted and confusion crossed her face. When it became apparent his act wasn’t a ploy she relaxed. “What did you just ask?”

He gave her an irritated look. “I asked your name. I know Water Clan people aren’t terribly sharp, but are you unable to listen as well?” 

Her face scrunched at his taunt. “No, I just never expected a person of the Fire Clan to be so civil,” she spat back. They stood there for a bit letting the sounds of the forest and meadow envelope them. Then, ever so softly, she broke the silence. “I’m Katara. What’s yours?”

“Zuko,” he muttered back. And with that their first interaction ended. No more words were traded or stories told until a considerable amount of time passed. They simply took their previous seats and watched the forest. As always, once the field was robed in the pale lavender of twilight Zuko stood and readied to leave.

“Will I see you again?” the girl inquired, looking up at the boy.

“Probably,” he said and then turned and walked away.

Probably was right. They began to run into each other more regularly. Katara caught onto his schedule and, although still sporadic, she began to come at the same time he would. It amazed me, watching these two children, these two opposites. Katara embodied her clan’s element. She was always shifting and moving. Climbing up my branches and then down full of energy one second and sitting quietly by Zuko the next. Zuko on the other hand was calm, but had a fire inside of him. It was controlled, but it still burned. These traits made it unsurprising to me when only a moon or so later Katara ran into the field with a water skin thrown over her shoulder. 

“Zuko! Zuko! I can bend! I’m a bender! Look!” In her shear excitement while taking the top off her water skin she nearly spilt it all over the boy. Luckily he was quite agile and able to avoid the down fall. 

“Sorry!” Katara started, “But watch this!” She made a motion with her hand as if grabbing at the ground and the spilt water came at her call then wavered and splashed back down. She then attempted to pull a tendril out of her water skin and it wound like a snake about her arm until it too wavered and fell.

“I know I’m not that good yet, but my father says I’ll be able to start training soon! There aren’t many benders in the clan anymore. It’s such an honor to be chosen by the spirits!” She babbled on and as she did Zuko’s face fell as he looked at his own hands.

“Isn’t that …” Katara paused as she finally noticed Zuko’s lack of enthusiasm. “What’s wrong? Is bending not a good thing in the Fire Clan?” she asked slightly crest fallen that her new friend did not share her enthusiasm.

“No, no it’s not that,” he began, “It’s just that in the Fire Clan if your bending is not powerful right away, it’s almost worse than not being able to bend,” he finished and looked at his hands again.

Understanding crossed Katara’s face. “You can bend too, can’t you?” she said with slight awe. “Why didn’t you tell me? How long have you known? Will you show me? I’ve never seen a firebender before! I’ve seen earth and air when their clans have visited, but never fire!” She looked at him eagerly.

“I’m really not that good,” he whispered turning away.

“Please? Just a little flame, that’s all! I promise,” Katara pleaded.

Zuko lifted his head and let his eyes meet hers. I think as he looked into their depths he found the reassurance he needed. That he would not be admonished for his flame being too small or not bright enough. So he took a deep breath letting his chi flow to his palm and produced a small flickering flame.

“Wow, that’s amazing. You don’t even need your element there already. You are the source,” she whispered as if speaking to herself while leaning in to examine the little light more closely.

“It actually comes from the breath,” he corrected, looking pleased that the water girl enjoyed the demonstration.

“It’s so different. You’re older than I am, right? You must have started training. Will you show me a form?” Katara asked with the same eagerness in her eyes as when she asked to see the flame.

The flame disappeared almost instantaneously from his hand. “I’m not far. I told you my fire isn’t the most powerful,” he stuttered out.

“Then won’t practicing make it more powerful?” she replied earnestly. 

“It should, but I’ve been having trouble.” Zuko looked surprised and ashamed that he had admitted this fact to the girl. The gossip on the wind had been that the Chief’s brother’s eldest was far beneath the skill level that any of his predecessors had been at that point. It must have been what was worrying him as he sat for so long at my trunk’s base.

“We can practice together then!” Katara proposed. “It’ll be perfect! I’ve just started and you need more practice. When we come here to meet we can go through our forms with each other.” 

“I, I don’t know. I guess that would be good,” he uttered still mulling it over. “Yes,” he stated with more conviction, “Let’s do that.”

And so began their new pass time beneath my branches. Each child explaining then showing new found skills to the other. Both practicing the manipulation of their element. Zuko was more wary of their practices initially, but never stopped coming.

I’ve wondered for a long time why they both continued to come. I’ve seen so much pain and devastation pass between the two villages. How could these two children even think of being friends? They knew of their clan’s hate for another. What the other’s element had done to their own. They knew the stories and legends of the war. They knew the wreckage… Then it occurred to me. They didn’t know. They had yet to see the carnage war brought. The last battle, now that I thought on it, took place when they were very young. They wouldn’t have the memories the elders did. That their fathers’ surely had. They only knew the stories they were told.

So I watched as seasons passed and their caution lessened as they learned they weren’t as different as they thought. They both had families, elders, training, similar legends and gods but with small differences scattered throughout the stories. The largest disparity they discovered was why the war started in the first place. 

“The elders say that your clan became greedy and was starting to hunt in territory that was ours,” Katara began one afternoon as they sat resting against my bark. “They say we tried to stop your clan by talking to your elders many times, but they wouldn’t acknowledge that any wrong was being done. No one wanted to fight your clan, but something had to be done. So the men decided that they needed to protect our land and put out scouts in the woods. That’s when the first skirmish occurred and it only escalated from there.” 

Zuko looked away from her. “Our elders tell a much different story. They say that the Water Clan started to disrespect their land. That your people were hurting it, so it grew fallow and food became scarce. Our clan tried to offer help, but your people refused and said what they needed was more territory to grow crops and hunt. We didn’t have that much land to begin with and your people started to take it anyway, so we sent out scouts, and just as you said there was a skirmish and it just continued from there.”

They both sat there, unsure of what they had just heard, of what to believe. 

“I guess we’ll never know,” she stated, looking at him. He looked back. 

“No. I guess we won’t, but we will still fight for the wrongs each side has committed against our own. It’s a vicious cycle of blame that will never end.”

“A cycle that we're caught in and can’t escape,” she added solemnly and then leaned against him. His eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t shrink away. He leaned in too, and with this their relationship began to slowly shift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everybody! Thank you for reading the first chapter of Beneath the Alder Tree! This story originated as a drabble in my drabble series A Last Confession on ff.net and got a little out of hand, so now it has its own fic! I would really like to hear what you all think about the first chapter! Special thanks to SoapDuck, wannabewonderbender, and peter pan's horcrux for their encouragement and support for making this a story!
> 
> Review Question: What do you think of the AU so far? How do you think that's going to effect Zuko and Katara's relationship?


	2. Learning

I found the subtle changes in the boy and girl’s relationship intriguing. It changed when they began bending together. I had grown so accustomed to them running and climbing about, pouring out their excess energy beneath my branches. It took some time for me to become used to their more controlled interactions once they began to practice forms with each other. Their relationship grew and with it their bond. 

Once they had both mastered not only their element’s basic forms, but the other’s element as well, they came almost daily to spar. But as I watched through the years their spars became more than just a simple action and reaction. It was a dance, and as the children grew so did it. 

Katara was a fast learner and over the course of just one season cycle her bending became more elaborate and her attacks flowed like the water she bent. Zuko certainly knew the basics of his element and had control, what he lacked was confidence. Every move he made was hesitant. However, as he showed Katara what he had been learning and then began to spar with her, his confidence grew, and with it the brightness and power of his flame. By the time they had taken to sitting by each other beneath my branches and talking after their combat, both benders were near mastering their element. This was about two season cycles after they had first met and about the same time they spoke to each other of the war’s start. At this point, their age difference became evident, Zuko became distracted, and Katara took notice.

“Zuko, what’s wrong? You’re off again today! Get your footing right or it’s no fun to spar with you at all,” Katara called to him after he tripped over my roots for the fifth time that day. Instead of standing and taking his root position again, he just lay there peering up into my branches. Katara huffed and put her hands on her hips, staring at him. Slowly her face softened and she sat next to him with her legs crossed. She leaned over his face attempting to make eye contact. 

“What’s wrong? You’ve been out of it for the last few times we’ve come out here to meet.”

“You wouldn’t understand, Katara. Not right now, you’re only twelve. Maybe when you’re older,” he replied in a whisper.

“Zuko, you can’t keep pulling the age thing on me! You know perfectly well that I can handle it! We’ve told each other more secrets than anyone else. I know all about how you like your Uncle more than your dad. You know all of the times I’ve spied on the council meetings. We’ve told each other about our mothers. You let your little sister play pranks on you that you know about because it makes her feel better which I still don’t understand because your sister sounds mean and I think you really need to stand up to her. And” 

“It’s different this time, Katara,” he cut her off. “This is something I don’t even think I should know.”

“What do you mean, Zuko? Is it scary?” she softly asked with concern flickering into her eyes.

“Maybe,” he sighed. I could tell that his temper was beginning to wear thin. His brow began to furrow. While his temper had improved over the last few seasons, he still had a short fuse.

“Then you have to tell me. You can’t face all of the scary things by yourself. Even the greatest warrior needs a blade and even then sometimes they need support. That’s what Sokka tells me. I can be your support. I can help you” 

“No, Katara!” Zuko snapped. “I can’t tell you this, not right now. It’s not because I don’t want to. You wouldn’t understand! It’s clan politics!” His face wore a scowl of frustration as he added, “You just wouldn’t get it.”

Katara was taken aback at first, but then she crossed her arms and gave him an indignant look. “My father is chief of the water clan and my brother is your age! They talk about clan politics all of the time! I can understand talk about hunting rations and harvest and whose turn it is to take watch. Trust me, I hear it all the time!” she countered. 

“No, this is not your clan’s peaceful everyday tasks. What’s happening in my clan is much different,” he spoke to her, eyes leveled with hers and a serious gaze. “I can’t talk to you about this yet. Maybe in a year.”

At this, Katara pouted her lip some, but then splashed Zuko with water from her pouch. At first he just looked shocked. Then his face turned to scowl and he stood up and marched away leaving Katara by herself.

“Why can’t he just tell me? I tell him almost everything,” she whispered while watching his back. 

She remained by me even after Zuko was out of view her face downturned. Frustration had brought tears to her eyes. It’s times like this when it’s hard being a tree. You want so much to comfort, but all you can do is be there. Which I guess sometimes is just what people need. Katara wiped away the tears quickly not wanting any signs lingering on her face. She looked up to my branches and climbed, just like old times. She stayed for a while watching the sun, and then descended and headed back to her village.

From the gossip I had heard in the forest lately though, I had to agree with Zuko. Katara was not ready to hear of the political play that was taking place in his clan. A power struggle had begun between his uncle and father, and Zuko was caught in the middle. Zuko’s father had always been jealous of his brother’s position and many times had challenged Iroh’s decision for peace. What I had heard through the vines was that Zuko’s father, Ozai, had publicly challenged Chief Iroh’s decision. The clan was constantly scrutinizing both men as well as the boys, Zuko and Iroh’s son Lu Ten, who would be their heirs. From what I could tell, Zuko had been under mounting pressure and Katara’s persistent questioning had not helped.

Even with that burden, Zuko had somehow managed to make it out to my meadow undetected. I have always wondered how they had both succeeded for so long to come to me with no curious followers. Both of them must have been quite skilled at stealth. 

Despite Zuko’s abrupt departure they both came back as they always did the day after. Zuko arrived slightly earlier and sat like he used to against my trunk, eyes closed, mouth set, in deep thought. I noticed Katara coming from across the meadow with purpose in her step and had a feeling that today’s spar was going to be interesting to say the least.   
Zuko kept his eyes closed, but I felt him tense as he heard Katara’s small feet crunch in the grass. As she drew up by him, she stood with her hands on her hips with a look of determination on her face.

“Will you tell me what’s been bothering you today?” Katara demanded.

Zuko opened one eye to look at her. “I told you. You’re too young,” and he closed his eye again.

“No I’m not, Zuko. I turn thirteen in two months. Just tell me,” she demanded with a slight plead in her voice.

“No, Katara,” Zuko insisted.

“Fine, then fight me. If I win you tell me now. If I lose you can tell me in two months,” she stated.

This caught his attention and mine. Their spars thus far had all been friendly affairs used mainly for training. They had never fought to win any prize except pride.

Zuko sat up at this. “You want to what?” he asked.

“I know that Fire Clan people are slow, but can you not listen too? I said I want to spar,” she threw his words from so long ago back at him and took her fighting stance.

Zuko stared back at her in surprise and then his eyes hardened in determination.

“Fine, Katara. Have it your way, but no crying when you lose,” he purred out, taking his own stance.

Katara struck first with a water whip and the dance began. Zuko retaliated with a single blast turning the water to vapor. The then took the offensive, kicking fire toward the girl in an arc. She evaded it with ease. As their fight continued I could tell how much they had learned from each other. They knew all of the other’s abilities, every attack having an effective block to match it. 

Zuko held a calm, focused determination. I could tell he wasn’t going to let Katara win this one, at least not easily. Katara fought harder than I had ever seen before. All energy focused on the task at hand. Back and forth, push and pull, in and out they battled across the meadow. After quite some time I noticed Katara beginning to tire. She had yet to build the same endurance as Zuko. He shot a strong blast straight at Katara advancing close behind it. Katara brought up a water wall to diminish the fire, but Zuko had moved to quickly behind the fire for her to react. He broke through the steam and caught her hands raised above her head, both of them panting for breath. 

They stood still for a moment, catching their breaths. Zuko released her hands. 

“Good fight, but I win. You’re waiting,” he growled out.

She glared back at him. “If you won’t tell me till then I fully expect for you to train and spar more like how you just fought,” she snapped. “You do know that I worry, right?” She asked still breathing heavily.

He looked at her and then away.

“Because I do. You’ve told me enough about your family. I want to help you, but you push me away every time,” she said with a sadness hanging in her eyes.  
He turned back toward her again looking into her eyes.

“There is only so much you can do. Just being here for now is enough,” he assured her. “I promise to tell you more when the time comes, but there are some things that I can’t say even to you. The world isn’t always as simple as it may seem.”

Katara nodded her head in resignation, but there was still a fire in her eyes that told of her disappointment. Zuko sunk to the ground and lay back staring up at my branches. 

Katara soon joined him and they stayed there in a companionable silence. 

Katara was the first to stir. She sat up, pulling her knees up to her chest. She rested her cheek against her knee and looked at Zuko who once again had his eyes closed. 

“I’m not coming until my birthday,” she suddenly stated.

Zuko bolted up. “What? Just because you lost and didn’t get your way, Katara?” he asked disbelievingly. 

“No, it’s not just that. I just started healing practice. I can’t escape as easily without notice,” she replied. 

“Oh,” he sighed. 

“Don’t worry. Just as you said, it’s only two months,” she retorted while rising.

As she began to leave I could see Zuko grasping at thin air as to what to say.

“Bye,” he blurted out.

She turned back with a little wave, “Bye.” 

He watched her as she walked away. Once she was long out of sight and in the woods Zuko stood and made his way back toward his own village in the opposite direction. 

True to her word, Katara didn’t come for the next two months. Zuko, however, periodically came and practiced his forms alone. After he finished, he would sit against my bark like he did when he was younger, but he always faced towards the woods in the direction of the Water Clan village. 

He echoed my own longing. I missed Katara’s chatter and the banter. She made everything so much more lively. I found myself looking eagerly towards the day she would return. 

When the months finally passed and I saw her form in the distance my leaves shook with excitement. Zuko was already sitting by my trunk when she approached. He had been fidgeting beneath my leaves since he arrived earlier that day. He would sometimes mumble to himself as if rehearsing what he would say when she got here. When he spotted her he stood and as she came to join him beneath the branches he bowed to her in the traditional Fire Clan form and she returned the gesture in the way of the Water Clan.

“How have you been?” he uttered hesitantly.

She smiled, “Good.”

“Oh, yes happy birthday,” he rushed to add.

“Thank you,” she smiled at him again. “How have you been?”

“Can’t complain,” he looked back towards the path at the forests edge leading to his village. “You? How are healing lessons?” he added.

“Good. Healing is so much different from fighting. I will have to tell you about it. You use your chi flow differently. It’s so smooth,” she rushed out. “But enough of me, you have something to tell me do you not?” She said looking at him intently.

He cleared his throat. “I guess I do, but I’m going to have to start a little farther back than just two months ago.”

“Then I guess I’d better get comfortable,” she replied taking a seat.

Zuko followed suit and sat directly across from her. He took a deep breath, let it out, and began.

“As I told you before, it has to do with clan politics. You already know my Uncle is currently chief and that I’m very close to him and Lu Ten. One of the reasons I’m closer to them than my father is because of this.” He pointed to his scar. That was one thing that had never been mentioned or brought up by either him or Katara. Even when they were young she seemed to know that it was not a topic to bring up. When he motioned to the angry, puckered flesh Katara’s eyes widened.

“I got this the winter before the summer I met you. In the Fire Clan, when a bender turns twelve he is supposed to have a complete mastery over a certain set of base skills. My powers hadn’t originally appeared until later than normal. They did not manifest when I was seven, or eight, or nine. My father is a very powerful and respected warrior in our community. When he looked at me it was only with disappointment. My younger sister, Azula, had already gained her powers when she was only six and they were so natural to her,” as he said this Zuko’s eyes clouded with memory. He paused then continued. 

“Mine didn’t show until I was ten and even then they were weak. My father was too busy training Azula and he took no interest in me, so my uncle trained me along side Lu Ten, even though I was so far behind. Lu Ten encouraged me and tried to help as well, but I was never able to get my forms and sets quite down. So once I was twelve and presented my base skills, I didn’t do as well as my father had wanted. He took me aside later and told me to take my starting stance. I did. And then he began to spar with me. He went easily at first, but soon his attacks were quicker and he was yelling at me. ‘Stay rooted! How could you not know that basic?! Maintain your core balance! Breathe properly!” He kept coming harder, stronger, until I lost my footing and fell backwards. 

“As he towered over me he said, ‘No son of mine could ever be this weak,’ and then he struck.”

I could tell the memory pained Zuko, so much so that he turned his face away, trying unsuccessfully to keep his tears hidden from Katara. 

“My uncle found me by the forest where my dad had taken me. I was still lying where he left me. I have no idea how I managed to not scream. I guess I was just shocked. But uncle took me back to the village and bandaged my wound. He has continued to train me and is more like a father than mine has ever been. Which brings me to what has been troubling me.”

Katara had been silently digesting what she had heard. It must have been such a contrast to the how the Water Clan interacted. When he mentioned what had been troubling him she looked up. He was looking directly into her eyes.

“My father challenged my Uncle at one of the clan assemblies. It was about a very small policy detail, one that typically is just left to the discretion of the chief and not discussed clan wide. I’ve been worrying about what he might be planning on doing. Sometimes another powerful man can challenge the chief in the Fire Clan and displace him. I’m worried about my father fully challenging my Uncle for the position as chief,” he whispered out.

“It’s not only because I like my Uncle better though. My dad’s always been against the peace that was instated with the Water clan. If he gained the position of chief, he would do whatever it took to start the war again. That’s what made me lose my focus, Katara and it’s something that I just didn’t think you were ready to hear then. You may have not even have been ready to hear it now, but now you know.” He looked to her, searching for a reaction.

She was staring at her hands. When she finally looked at him there was a melancholy on her face. There was so much that she didn’t know. How could she? He hid his pain so well.

She inched toward Zuko rising to her knees. He stayed still, unmoving, watching her. She raised her hand hesitantly, her eyes silently asking. He closed his own in consent.

“How could your father have done this to you?” she muttered to herself, lightly touching the rough ridges that run along the edge of his scar.

Zuko raised his hand up to cover hers leaning into her soft caress. He opened his eyes.

“I missed you, Katara,” he murmured.

“I missed you too, Zuko.” 

They spent the rest of the afternoon catching up. It was the longest they had been away from each other since they had met. It was also the longest I had not seen one of them since they both started coming to me. It seemed like the blink of an eye and centuries at the same time. And trust me, centuries take quite a long time, especially when spent alone. 

Katara told Zuko about healing, the special property only water holds. She told him how she had to infuse her own chi with the water and how she could feel where there was a pain or ailment to be fixed. How she would guide the water there and help it mend the wound. He listened, asking a question now and then, but mostly listening and gazing at her. He looked at her as if she was something precious, something not of this world.   
As time wore on once again, I realized that he almost never looked at her another way after that day. Yes they still had their disagreements and spats, but once they made up that look reemerged from his frustration or anger as if the other emotion were never there. After those two months, there was only one, maybe two more times I saw them individually come to me. 

Zuko’s opening up marked another soft shift in their relationship. Barely noticeable except for the way a strange gravity drew them closer over the years. I could tell some new feeling was growing between them, but I hadn’t the word for it. It was a strange one that was a mixed jumble of feelings I already knew. I could feel joy so pure as if they were young and running through the grass again, a soft caring, like when Katara would talk about her family, and excitement. But there was also a tinge of fear. It wasn’t like the fiery fear that overcomes men in battle, but more of a small uncertainty, as if treading into unknown territory. I soon learned the name of this feeling, but like the feeling itself, it brought both fear and joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Review Question: If you could talk to a tree, what would you ask it? (Or if you could talk to our narrator Nairn, what would you ask him?)
> 
> I would love to hear your answers and what you think of the story so far! Thanks again for reading!


	3. Understanding

Time began to move more quickly once again with both of my young humans back. After being separated, the two of them seemed to try and make up for lost time. They were in my field nearly every day whether it be only for a few minutes to say hello or for hours in which they would spar or lean against my trunk and talk about anything and everything. By the end of the summer, I knew almost everything about these two humans that there was to know, even more than they did probably. 

The information you can gather from conversation is quite incredible. There are many subtleties in human language that tell so much more than what is being said. My favorite of these subtleties is tone. Depending on what is being said and how the speaker feels their tone changes. And when listening to the tone that Zuko and Katara used with each other I could tell that there was much more to be told than what was actually said. The tones they used when talking to one another began to change.

Both softened considerably, but Zuko’s most of all. He no longer had an edge to his voice that bit through the air. It became a hushed murmur like the light crackle of embers from a fading fire. His words melted on the tip of his tongue. Katara’s went from rushing and crashing waves that changed direction every second to a tone more similar to the gentle lull of the tide against the shore. And time marched on.

The seasons continued to change, summer fell into autumn, autumn froze into winter, and winter melted into spring. Zuko turned fifteen during the autumn months, winter festivals were celebrated in the Water Clan, and as soon as the sun warmed the earth enough spring broke from the frost that had held it at bay. The political turmoil in the Fire Clan continued. Ozai challenging Iroh at every turn, but Iroh still managed to stay a step ahead of his brother. The unrest between them leaked into the rest of the clan. Hushed whispers ran rampant, Zuko and Lu Ten ever on edge.

Soon another season cycle had passed. During this time a tension began to settle in Zuko and Katara’s interactions. Politics began to enter their conversations more often. And they began to question. They questioned why their clans fought; they questioned whether there would ever truly be peace; they questioned whether what they were doing was right.

“Zuko?” Katara asked shifting her head on his shoulder, looking up into his golden eyes. They had just finished sparring and were resting. The two benders had taken to leaning against each other.

“Yeah?” he replied, lazily running a hand through his hair.

“Should we be here?” Her question was one they both must have thought about, but it took him by surprise none the less. His hand dropped and he sat up straighter. 

“What do you mean?” he asked, not wanting to admit he knew exactly what she meant.

“Since our clans are enemies, should we even be here with each other? If our fathers knew…” she trailed with worry in her eyes.

Zuko paused as his eyes clouded in thought. They had been exceedingly lucky thus far to have not been followed.

“I don’t think so, Katara. The war is in the past no matter what the others in our clans may seem to think. Even if they think the others are monsters, I know you’re not, and I know your people are not. We’re just two people. We are doing nothing wrong. If anything, we might be doing something right,” he insisted.

“But Zuko, you know as well as I that tensions are rising. It’s only time until the break,” she whispered.

“We both know my Uncle and your father would never allow that,” he quickly added.

“But we don’t know how long they’ll keep power.” 

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. We aren’t doing anything wrong,” Zuko was quick to change the subject. He didn’t want to think about questions such as right and wrong or what repercussions could occur from a change in power in his clan. No, he wanted to be in the moment. To just be. They soon separated and went back to their respective villages. Even with a hug goodbye there was an ominous cloud on the horizon that neither wanted to acknowledge was looming ever closer.

~~~~~~~

The seasons continued on from that summer afternoon. Autumn came in on a breeze and left in a storm. Katara and Zuko managed even in the depths of winter to make it to my meadow. The invisible force drawing them closer and closer despite their clans drawing further and further apart. By the time spring came some part of them was always touching, whether it was simply a knee or they were holding hands. More than once they had fallen asleep leaning against my trunk, Katara’s head tucked under Zuko’s, his arm wrapped protectively around her, fingers entwined.

It was one of these days, when Katara was curled against him, that he watched her with sadness in his eyes. The sadness I could only guess at, but there was something else there. Conflict. As he looked at her I could see him warring with himself. They were older now, Katara was fifteen by then, Zuko seventeen. Not so naïve to their Clan’s troubles, Zuko was coming more and more to realize something. Something that worried him. That he could no longer deny. I think he was beginning to understand how hard it was going to be to stay with the girl he had grown so close to. That whatever feeling I had noticed growing between them was a little too powerful for either of them to contain any longer.  
It was with this concern he held her closer, his heart beat vibrating against my trunk. He kissed her head and her eyes fluttered open looking at him with a sleepy smile.

“What is it, Zuko?”

His eyes drank in her features, the soft curl to her brown hair, the smoothness of her skin, the slight blush from her sleep, and finally her cerulean eyes. He looked at her then as a man looks at the night sky, in awe as if he saw galaxies. 

“I love you,” he whispered.

She sat up straighter in order to face him directly, and she looked back at him, the depth of his eyes replicated in hers.

“I love you too,” she whispered back.

Then their heads tilted towards each other. Coming closer, his hand reached up to cup her cheek. Their lips met, clumsily at first, then gaining confidence it deepened. I could feel blissful energy passing between them. This is when I learned the word for the emotion I had felt growing between them, but could never name. The emotion that I had heard in the whispers of trees and on the tongues of warriors. It was love. 

This was the emotion that was so many others rolled into one. This was what I had been feeling in so many different ways pass between these two. I felt it in their highest joys and in their quietest exchanges. All of their interactions were tinged with it, but there was a small pit burrowed at its heart. It was the emotion I knew all too well. There was a fear, a fear that manifested all too soon.

~~~~~~~~

It occurred later that summer. It was something that I really should have predicted, but I was too engrossed with this newly identified human emotion that I nearly missed it. My humans had been coming to my field so often someone in one of their clans was bound to take notice. 

The day it happened was so similar to the rest. Zuko and Katara met midafternoon beneath my branches. Their happiness apparent as Zuko gave a kiss to Katara’s cheek lingering there a little longer than necessary. That’s when I felt that something was different. There was another presence that had just arrived, lurking at the edge of the wood. My roots tingled nervously as the benders took their stances to begin sparring.

Zuko began one of his attack sequences, an easy rooted routine that Katara knew well. They started their fights with basic forms and motions and transitioned smoothly into advanced ones. 

Per usual they lost themselves in the intricacy of movement. They lived in a world unto themselves during these times, so neither noticed the streak of blue across the meadow’s green-brown canvas, a warrior’s yell tearing from his chest as he charged toward Zuko with an odd angled object flying ahead of him. And chaos erupted.

Zuko was just about to shift forms when the object aimed at him came near, but as he shifted Katara did as well and stepped in the way of the weapon. Reflexes as quick as ever, Zuko changed his momentum, pushing Katara out of the way while catching the angled weapon. Just as he caught it a boy about his age rammed him to the ground.   
It was a display to say the least. Katara stood there dumb struck while the two young-men grappled with each other. 

“Stay away from my baby sister, you Fire Clan scum! Katara, run!” The boy in blue yelled while struggling with the firebender.

It made quite the picture, the two boys rolling about with Katara standing there dumbstruck. It was the most excitement I’d had since Katara tumbled from my branches. The look on her face soon snapped from astonishment to bewilderment though. It registered. Her brother knew. 

He knew she was here, who she was with. How many others knew?

“No! Stop, Sokka!” she cried out, running over to the boys trying to separate them. 

Sokka and Zuko were evenly matched, both strong and cunning. At this point in their skirmish Sokka’s sneak attack had lost its initial advantage. Both were struggling to keep the other pinned down more than throwing punches. Zuko had started to overpower Sokka when Katara stepped in.

“I said stop!” she repeated her plea.

“No, Katara. He was attacking you! I won’t let this filth take you away! I won’t!” Sokka snarled through gritted teeth.

“He wasn’t attacking me. We were sparring!” Her words were punctuated by her failing attempts to pull the boys apart, but this was information was enough to distract Sokka for a second allowing Zuko to effectively pin him to the ground.

“I wasn’t attacking her. I could never attack her,” Zuko stated with conviction looking full on into Sokka’s large blue orbs.

At this, Sokka’s arms went slack and fell to the ground, no longer pushing at the bender a top him. Zuko unpinned the Water Clan boy and stood up. Sokka slowly sat and rose to his feet, his face first flashing confusion then slowly morphing to anger. His brow was furrowed and a look of betrayal swept across his face. He made to grab at Katara’s arm to pull her safely behind him, to get her away from the unpleasant being dressed in red. But he was thwarted. Zuko whipped Katara safely behind him not trusting the boy in blue. 

“I thought I told you to stay away from my baby sister!” Sokka threatened, grabbing Zuko’s shirt to force him away. Zuko acted in kind grabbing up Sokka.

“No, I said stop, Sokka! Zuko! Both of you! Just stop!” Katara called, once again trying to pry the two young men away from each other. At her plea, Sokka’s focused switched from the Fire Clan boy back onto his sister.

“Katara, what did you mean by sparring? Fire Clan doesn’t spar with Water Clan, they attack and kill.” He released Zuko with a shove and faced his sibling. 

“You’re lucky I noticed you leaving the village today and decided to follow. You have to remember how dangerous it is in the border region,” Sokka stated as if it was the most obvious thing the world while taking his sister’s hand and turning to take her back to the village.

She jerked her hand away and stood by Zuko. “No, Sokka. It’s not dangerous. He is not dangerous. I’ve known him for years now. Zuko is one of my closest friends.”

Sokka froze and then turned slowly back to face his sister.

“Is this where you’ve been sneaking off to?” he asked pointedly. Katara’s face blanched slightly. 

“It is, isn’t it? Oh, what? You though I wouldn’t notice? How you seem to disappear at the same times on the same days? And to do what? To come here? To meet with him?” He gestured toward Zuko with disgust. “Katara, he’s the enemy! The war may have ended years ago, but you know that means nothing to a blood thirsty clan like his!” Sokka’s voice had escalated with each question and accusation causing Katara to flinch. 

“If my clan is so blood thirsty, why haven’t I killed your sister?” Zuko interjected. He had been standing silently watching them till that point. Then Sokka’s eyes darted back to him. He slanted his body towards Zuko, arms crossed, sizing him up.

“You were clearly about to if I hadn’t gotten here in time,” Sokka glared back.

“If I had truly wanted to kill your sister I would have done it when my bending was stronger than hers, not practiced with her. If I wanted to kill your sister I would have fought you harder to get at her again, not block your… toy from hitting her. If I wanted to kill Katara I would have done so a very long time ago,” Zuko said with a piercing seriousness to his voice.

“She wouldn’t have been in the way if you hadn’t moved!” Sokka rebutted. 

Zuko couldn’t seem to believe his ears from the look of disbelief on his face. Katara placed a hand on his arm, stopping any rebuke he had.

“Sokka, I told you we were sparring. We both know every single move the other makes. He can’t actually beat me!” Katara tried to reason with her brother.

“No, Katara. Now come on we’re going home and you are never coming back out here again,” Sokka turned to leave, but stopped at his sister’s next words.

“No, Sokka. You can’t keep me from coming here. You don’t understand,” she pleaded with him.

Sokka turned back to her, disbelief on his face. From what I had discerned from her younger days in my branches from her stories was that it was very rare for Katara to completely go against her brother’s requests. 

“What? What do I not understand? Do I not understand what’s so important that you can disregard your family and clan? No, I don’t. Katara, how could you trust him? You put yourself in danger with complete disregard to us! How do you think I would feel if you just disappeared? If we found your body at the edge of the woods? No, I won’t let that happen. This is enough. We are leaving.” He emphasized every syllable of his last words. 

Katara shook her head again. Sokka glanced at Zuko then set his eyes back on his sister.

“Why, Katara? Why are you fighting me on this?” Sokka gave her a cold stare. Eye’s questioning her.

“We haven’t hurt anybody. I don’t see what’s so wrong,” Zuko cut in.

“I didn’t ask you, jerkbender,” Sokka’s voice was all seriousness, his hand brushing Zuko off, eyes still focused on Katara.

“Sokka, you do realize this is why even at peace we are still at war, right? Because to you they are no longer people. They are monsters. Well look at him. Zuko is no monster,” Katara said to her brother sternly.

Her statement was a realization Zuko and Katara come to some time ago. The realization that the vestiges of war clung to people far longer than the war lasted. And these vestiges would steep in the pit of the stomach growing into a hate for the people that they had stopped warring with, but would never stop loathing. They would never forget. They would never forget the sadness, the despair, the anger, the need for vengeance. They would always hold on because to forget would mean the war was unjustified. And no one ever fights an unjust war.

Sokka looked down to his feet. The truth biting at the edge of his consciousness, but he was still unwilling to let it in.

“Katara, do you not remember what they have done to our people? Did all of the stories that Gran Gran and dad tell you go in one ear an out the other? What about mom?” There was desperation in his voice. “Are you forgetting that his people took and killed our mother during the raids when this war was supposedly over?!”

“Never think for a second, Sokka, that I would forget about mom!” Katara shot back, tears springing to her eyes.

“Then why are you with him?!” Sokka challenged her.

“Because I love him!” I could tell she immediately regretted her words. She knew that her brother would never understand the affection that had grown between her and the firebender over the years. How hesitant they had been and then how they had grown and learned to accept each other. He would never understand and never accept.

Sokka was taken aback by this. He paused. This news was harder to digest than the fact the two of them met to spar.

“And you think he truly loves you? No, Katara. That’s not possible. He’s tricking you!”

“Never,” Zuko shouted, “question my love for your sister.”

At this sudden outburst Sokka turned back towards the unwelcome intrusion that had appeared in his life. 

“Why should I ever trust the word of a firebender? I’ve watched my sister since she was born and I will protect her at all costs. What makes you think I would ever allow someone like you to hurt her?” He asked forcefully, holding a steady gaze with the firebender.

“Katara has brought out my best. Before I met her, I couldn’t hold my head up. We learned our elements together. She improved my bending skills tenfold. Her mind is quick and sharp. She challenges me mentally and physically. She has a beautiful, nurturing soul. She is the source of my inner fire,” Zuko said each word unflinchingly challenging Sokka’s disapproving gaze.

Sokka turned to Katara. “Your jerkbender has a way with words if anything , Katara. He certainly makes a case for his devotion,” he said shaking his head.  
“But tell me this, what’s going to happen if I let you continue to come. What if someone else takes notice? What if it’s from his clan next time, Katara? We know there’s political turmoil happening there. And you said your name was Zuko?”

The firebender nodded in confirmation.

“Then you’re Ozai’s son, are you not?”

“Yes,” he replied with another nod.

“Sokka, I already know whose son he is and the politics. He explained it to me. I don’t need you to go into clan politics,” she sighed.

“Katara, if one of the Fire Clan members had found you instead you would most likely be dead. This is too dangerous. You can’t expect me to let my only sibling walk repetitively into danger, no matter how,” he paused and looked to Zuko again, “-well-meaning- the other party may be,” he finished and then turned back to Katara.

“We’re both still going to come. This changes nothing,” Katara said with determination.

“It will if I tell dad,” Sokka replied. He was obviously through with the circular fight. He didn’t want to hear anymore. He began to walk away.

“You can’t,” it was Zuko who spoke this time, desperation in his voice.

“Please. No one from my clan has noticed. I’ve come here since I was small. They all ignore my odd retreats into the woods. You’re the first to have ever followed. You can help us. Please,” Zuko was not use to asking favors of others. His voice strained. 

“You can help make a difference, Sokka. Maybe we can eventually make our clans see eye to eye,” Katara offered.

This idea was not new to me. Zuko and Katara had spoken of trying to bring their clans together many times before. Forming so many ideas of how to do it, but nothing seemed like a solution. I could tell Katara saw this as a step. If her brother could agree, then maybe they weren’t so crazy and something could work.

Sokka sighed and looked between the two benders. Even though he was a warrior, a request from his sister was one he could never easily turn down especially if it was in the name of peace.

“I’m only doing this for my sister,” he replied, finally relenting. “But if she gets hurt in any way at all, I’m holding you personally responsible,” he stared at Zuko, a figure pointing in his direction.

“Now come on Katara, let’s go,” and he turned to walk away.

Katara offered a small smile to Zuko and hugged him quickly before following her brother back into the woods.

The firebender watched them disappear before sighing and looking up to my leaves. He closed his eyes briefly, feeling the wind skim across his cheeks and then turned and headed toward his side of the forest.

True to their words, Zuko and Katara continued to come, but there was a new unease. My branches had been their sanctuary. And it had been broken. Their small world had been intruded upon and it could be felt. They still sat by each other and talked, but their exchanges were shorter and they began to spar less. Mentions of love were few and far in between although I could still feel it pass between them as strong as ever, for who can speak of love with the fear of being found ever in the back of the mind.

Another change occurred that I was the only one aware of. Sokka began to occasionally follow Katara out to the field. Never fully trusting Zuko. Not making a sound he just watched. Zuko and Katara never saw him. Zuko began to sense him and would occasionally turn to where he hid, but never caught him.

The young man seemed to have caught onto their schedule quickly. I began to recognize his traits. The boy had a warrior’s haircut and always carried that odd angled weapon with him that he had thrown the first day. His blue garments matched Katara’s, but were slightly darker in color. He had a familiar twinkle in his blue eyes that reminded me of his sisters. It was about two weeks after he started following them that he arrived before they did and stood leaning against my trunk facing the Fire Clan side, arms crossed, waiting. 

Zuko came first that day. He approached me looking hopefully across the way to where Katara would emerge from the wood. Then he saw the boy in blue, and froze.

“What are you doing here, Sokka?” he asked, voice on edge.

“You need to stop seeing Katara,” he replied looking at him with a cutting gaze.

“Why? We’ve already had this conversation. I said I wouldn’t let anything happen to her,” he countered.

“I’m sure you’ve noticed, Zuko. Don’t play stupid with me. You know all of the politics as well as I do. You know the peace is close to a breaking point,” Sokka hissed back.

“We don’t know that yet,” Zuko replied, the denial in his eyes.

“You’re right. We don’t, but it’s headed in that direction, and I don’t want my baby sister caught up in it. So you had better make the right choice.” With that Sokka gave him one more look. Zuko nodded in understanding and the Water Clan member ran back off into the woods before his sister appeared.

Zuko remained uneasy that afternoon never fully relaxing, not even with Katara curled by his side, a look of worry constantly shading his face.

“What’s wrong, Zuko?” Katara asked taking his face in her hands forcing him to look at her. Of course she had noticed his stiffness and the uneasiness about him that day.

“Nothing, it’s just a festival is coming up and I’m not looking forward to it,” he replied awkwardly.

Katara gave him a questioning glance, but did not pry. She understood when to push and when to let him be, and this was a time to let him be.  
His worry was justified. Just as Sokka had said, the uneasy peace they had lived in for so many years was breaking. It was only a few days later that their conversations became hushed and urgent. They didn’t come to the glen as often and stayed for shorter and shorter intervals of time. Their villages were preparing to fight once again. The small world that they had built beneath my branches was falling apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you for reading! I hope you have been enjoying the story thus far. Please let me know what you think! Also, if you're interested, I drew a scene from this chapter (them sleeping under Nairn) and its up on my tumblr (harky2192). Just search "my art" in my tags and you'll find it!
> 
> Review Question: What do you imagine Nairn’s voice is like? Is there an actor’s voice it’s close to, or is it something completely different?


	4. Hoping

Disclaimer: AtLA and all associated characters belong to Bryke, all plot contents and Nairn belong to me  
~  
Now that I think on it, I fear I have been rather negligent of the world around our lovers up to this point. I have been so caught up in their story I declined to include the matter of politics. As I have told you, the Water Clan and Fire Clan spent many years on the precipice of war. Fighting nearly broke out from disagreements among the people over some petty offense or another many times, and at each occurrence Iroh or Hakoda would calm their clan reminding them of past bloodshed and the treaty. But as tempers rose it became harder for them to keep the peace, and Ozai lurked, ever waiting for his opportune moment.

Zuko's father began to gather a following. The Fire Clan was splitting at the seams. His sister, Azula, unsurprisingly sided with Ozai. For he had made it quite evident who his favorite child was. As his following slowly grew, seemingly few men stayed loyal to Iroh and Lu Ten. People thought that all their neighbors wanted this change when in reality it was just that Ozai's faction was outspoken and "accidents" continued to lower the number of Iroh's supporters.

Through these happenings the Water Clan remained relatively stable. Hakoda knew his people well and listened to their needs. The only internal split of the clan was whether or not to raise arms against the Fire Clan. A line ran between warriors and the elders. The youth, who didn't remember battle, felt the angry ache in their bones calling them to pick up their weapons while the elders hearts ached at the memory of the last battles, not wanting to see my field blood red once again. But soon, there was no choice to be made. The scales tipped and called for war.

"No." The word escaped her lips in a rush of air.

"No, that can't be," she whispered once again, worry in her eyes.

Zuko looked at her. His eyes telling her he wished it wasn't true just as much as she did, but it was hardly something he could lie about.

"I wish it weren't, Katara," he sighed out, the pain evident in his voice.

"But… How?" She still couldn't understand.

"My dad, he finally gained the support he needed. I knew it was coming. I should have done something, but I didn't want to believe it," he scowled shaking his head, eyes brimming with unshed tears.

"Uncle and Lu Ten… Katara," his tears spilled over, "my family left."

The girl took the boy near man in her arms.

"They didn't leave you by choice, Zuko. They would have died if they stayed. I'm sure they're safe now," she assured him.

"You know what this means, right? Within the next week our clans will most likely be at war!" he pushed her back without relinquishing his hold, trying to catch her eyes.

She kept them down, an uneasy frown etched on her visage.

"Of course I know, Zuko," she sighed. Her head hung lower.

Zuko took a deep breath, his tears now dry. He needed to collect himself. He needed to be there for her.

"Katara, look at me," he said more softly, dipping his head in an attempt to get her to look at him.

She looked up at him with remorse. A deep sadness had settled over her. "Why is this happening?"

He pulled her close to him again, his jaw rested on her head.

"It's an old feud. You knew as well as I did that the peace wasn't going to hold, especially with my dad," he whispered.

"I was just hoping it would hold long enough for us to try to figure out how to be together," she replied in a hushed tone.

They stood silently holding each other. Sorrow and fear entwined with the love passing between them. I found myself once again wishing I could solve the problems of the human world. After what could have been only seconds or a small forever, they slowly broke apart, but before they parted ways Zuko leaned down and kissed her. His usual softness was not evident. Instead there was a need. He kissed her hard and Katara returned it with the same fervor.

After the first day Zuko relayed his terrible news to Katara he didn't speak of it again. His face hardened, his eyes dry, he went on, but his thinning body told Katara and myself that he was not as well as he wanted her to think. Katara tried to do what she could for him, but an ailment of the heart is never cured as easily as one of the body.

Despite his agitated state, Zuko still did something he had been planning, to my knowledge, for some time. He had kept the thing consistently in his pocket for weeks. A small, smooth, deep black river stone that he had etched a likeness of myself into with remarkable skill. Her face brightened when he gave the charm to her. She held it lovingly and pecked him on the cheek. It was a point of happiness in all the chaos quickly escalating around them.

Like Zuko, the earth held its breath in anticipation of what was surely to come, but that didn't stop the wind from whispering the secrets of the trees as it blew across the meadow. Oh, no certainly not. Lately, it carried more news of the happenings in the Fire Clan, its secrets more complicated than I ever expected.

As you know, Iroh was not one for conflict reveling in the simple pleasures of life, preferring a calming walk through the woods to battle. He had, in fact, walked my meadow many a summer evening and came dangerously close to discovering my young lovers on several occasions. Sometimes I think he may have known, but alas that is one thing this old tree has yet to discern. But I digress, the trees whispered of how he made off in the night with his son. Not a sound made. Where they were headed, I know not, but they were indeed safe.

The entirety of the forest noticed Ozai's rise to power. He was a fierce man who saw compassion as weakness and fighting as the only solution. Katara had been right, Iroh and his son most likely wouldn't have survived. Other men who have challenged Ozai have disappeared. The humans always say it was an accident, but we trees know acts committed in the forest better than any human. With Ozai it is never an accident, but always a man's jealousy.

All too soon, as Zuko predicted, the first fight broke out. It was a small skirmish that occurred at the edge of my meadow. I later learned both sides claimed they were patrolling. In my opinion, they seemed a little too well prepared and placed for patrols.

In light of these increasingly turbulent events I received a visit from the Fire Clan boy, or should I say man? He was at the age where he still had a boyish appearance about him, but his eyes told me otherwise. They held a knowing beyond their years. This visit was the first time he had come to me by himself in many, many seasons. Frustration radiated from his body as he walked toward me, the furrow in his brow deeper than ever. Something was troubling him and it appeared to be more than the typical spat with his father. Over the years I have pieced together that the furrow in his brow came from his father and sister—both looked down on him because he was "unworthy" to be a son of fire.

When he reached the edge of my shade he did not settle in his usual spot. Instead he looked up to my branches and surprised me by grabbing the lowest, climbing into my tangle of limbs. He situated himself where Katara used to sit and stared out at the forest. What surprised me even more was when my contemplative friend spoke.

"My father is about to start a full on war," he began, "with the Clan of the woman I love. So what am I to do?" His eyes seemed to be searching my branches for an answer. One I wish I could have given him. There were so many things I could have told him, yet nothing at the same time.

"Do I follow his steps and go into battle? He's barely looked at me over the years, but recently he calls me to his side, as if he needs and heir besides Azula. What if I disappoint him again? Look at what happened the last time. Is there even a choice? I either defy him and betray my family or kill Katara's people. And not even in a fair fight! He wants to raid them now, a surprise attack, raze their village to the ground." He leaned his head against my bark as if in defeat.

"And what even for, but an old feud. Why are our fathers, of all people, the chiefs? It gives us no choice and makes it so complicated. Why can't things be simple for just once?"

Now isn't that a question for all time. But as I have come to understand it is the simple things that are fleeting in human life, although they may bring pleasure, and it is the things that humans toil for that remains when they have long left this earth. But the young man had yet to learn that particular lesson.

He stayed longer that day than the setting of the sun. The shadows stretched about him sinking the earth into darkness, but he sat on. The moon rose high above the meadow and he remained, not leaving until dawn the next morning, not sleeping once. By the time he left he had conviction in his eyes. He made a decision that night, one that had repercussions for a long time to come.

Katara came to me soon after he left. Her fear, a human emotion I was becoming all too familiar with, did not voice itself as Zuko's had. Her fear was a quiet sadness, a small understanding of what was ahead and a longing for the past. She climbed my branches like she had when she was young, sitting in the exact spot Zuko had, and stayed with me for the afternoon. She pulled out the stone he had given her and sat staring at it while she sat in my branches. She left only when the sun hid behind the tree tops. She said not a word the entire time she stayed and there was no look of conviction in her eyes when she left, only one of loss.

This was the last time either visited me before it started. It has taken me many years to understand why they didn't continue to meet beneath my branches for they had never spoken of doing so. They just stopped coming as if they had both agreed they could no longer see each other. Maybe that was why they had sat in silence so long. They had been listening to the other's heart and simply knew.

Both of my humans stopped coming to me.

A war started.

My meadow was once again drenched red.

I began to see the horrors of war again: men killing each other in the vilest ways possible, limbs and bodies scattered the ground. It was as if pieces of the past were resurfacing, but there was a different piece to the puzzle this time, and that piece gave me hope.

"Zuko, are you stupid? You could have been caught! Do you know what my clan would have done if they captured the Fire chief's son?!" Katara was beside herself. She was dragging Zuko by his arm into the field, a not so pleasant look on her face.

"I'm sorry, Katara. I needed to see you. I saw you go down. I needed to make sure you were ok after, after…" with a sigh of resignation he bent his head. He couldn't complete his thought, but I knew what he was speaking of. After Zuko's last visit his father did indeed carry out an ambush on Katara's clan. Zuko never had the chance to tell her.

The trees murmured that the Water Clan had prepared for the attack, but not one of the magnitude the Fire Chief had in store for them. Sustaining great loss, the Water Clan barely held their home, charred as it was in the end, against the Fire Clan's warriors.

The Fire Chief did not relent though. The battles continued. The Water Clan was weakening and the last clash had been particularly gruesome. It took place in my meadow, and what I saw were two younglings constantly searching the dead on the field praying to not find what they were looking for.

Katara had been in a hand fight with a non-bending Fire Clan girl and was knocked unconscious before Sokka stepped in to finish it. Zuko saw her go down, but had been engaged with another Water Clan warrior and did not see her brother's rescue. He searched the field of bloated bodies where she had been after the battle before the fallen were retrieved. He didn't see her there, but that meant nothing and he needed to know, so through the glen and into the enemy forest he snuck.

Katara was standing with her arms crossed glaring the rival clan's next chief. The fierce look on her face softened and sorrow filled her eyes. She stepped up to Zuko, placing a hand on his good cheek to turn his face towards her. Their eyes met and held each other with a tenderness I had not seen for many moons.

"I'm here. I'm alive and you're alive. That's all that matters," she said softly reassuring him.

"But Katara, if anything happened to you. I, I wouldn't know what to do. It would be my fault. I need to protect you. I,"

"Never, I repeat, never put yourself in harm's way for me ever again" she cut him off and placed her hands on his shoulders turning him fully towards her. "That includes coming to try to find me, Zuko. I don't care if you think I am in mortal danger. You can't die simply because you wanted to see whether I was alive or not. You are the only hope that this fighting will end in the future. When your father dies you will become chief."

"He'll die no time soon. I've been trying in vain to persuade my father to come to a peace agreement, but he won't. It's not even about the old disputes anymore. His rage has convinced him that the only way the Fire Clan can have peace is to wipe the Water Clan from the earth, but I'm worried that my pushing just spurs him on. Katara, we have to stop this. Your people…"

"I know what is happening to my people, Zuko. I see their suffering every day. I agree we need to stop this fighting before it goes further, but there is no good solution," her sentence trailed off into silence and her face turned down, hands sliding from his shoulders.

"We must kill my father."

Her head snapped up.

"Katara, don't look at me like that. I know you've thought of it. The thought has haunted me for some time. But how can a reign of terror be ended and a new one of peace begun at the end of a blade with a son on one end and a father at the other? It would breed only more turmoil and chaos."

"How else will this end if your father is the driving force of the fighting?" She questioned him.

"He's not the only one. It's been so long people on both sides will want to continue even after he passes. It will be an uneasy peace" he sighed.

"But a peace it will still be, Zuko. One we can foster and build together. My father and brother are willing to work for peace. My people are dying, Zuko! Our fields have been burned. So many of our warriors are dead or wounded. We're barely holding on. We need the fighting to stop no matter how uneasy it is! My father has already made a proposition," her eyes clouded and she looked away crossing her arms once again.

"What is it?" He asked, concern present in his voice.

"He's asked help from the Earth and Air Clans," she uttered hesitantly.

"At what price?" Zuko knew well that no clan gives help freely. It was the reason they had not entered into the feud between the Fire and Water Clans yet.

"My brother and I's hands in marriage," she whispered back, looking into his eyes once again.

Zuko froze. Barely breathed. His eyes widened, then grew hard with understanding.

"Of course, what else would be a proper price for entering a war other than an alliance through marriage." It wasn't a question. It was knowledge. "I should have guessed once you mentioned your dad asked for their help."

"I'm sorry," she whispered hugging her arms closer to her body.

Zuko stepped forward and wrapped his own arms around her pulling her close. She tucked her head under his chin just as she always had, drinking in his scent.

"Don't be sorry, Katara. It's out of your control." His jaw was stiff and I could see the heartache run through his body, every nerve screaming in resistance at the thought of losing her, his closest friend, his love.

His lack of protest to her announcement puzzled me. When he was younger and heard news he disliked Zuko would not hesitate to retaliate. But now he stood there, jaw clenched, trying to comfort the girl he had hoped one day would be his. I have watched humans for so long, yet they still manage to surprise me.

"But is it, Zuko? We both know we could run into the woods and never return. We have choices, but neither of us are willing to make the ones that could hurt our families. I either support my clan by going into the marriage or I abandon them. I make that choice. No one else."

Her arms had wound themselves around him as she spoke. They stood there in silence rocking back and forth holding each other as the moonlight filtered through my leaves. They stayed like that for a time until Zuko broke the delicate silence.

"If I were able to convince my father to a marriage peace between our clans," he paused, "would you accept it?"

She stopped swaying and untwined her arms in order to look at him. Holding his hands she sighed, "I don't know. My father would have to accept it."

"But would you accept it, Katara?"

"I'm not sure, Zuko. Your father doesn't seem like he would be happy unless he had power over our clan and I think a marriage proposal would include more than a few stipulations. I don't want to be a pawn. I want to be able to live life without a collar around my neck."

"There would be no collar, Katara, only an uneasy peace. You said that we can't escape that. You know I love you and that I will do so until my last breath. I can't lie and tell you that there would be no political play, but we would be together. Can you imagine it? Growing old without the worries of war. Sitting under this tree without the fear of being found. We could be happy." His voice held a small fleeting hint of hope, the one thing that humans never seem to lose no matter how bleak their circumstances may be.

"But at what cost? Would it truly be any kind of peace, or simply a play where my father becomes a puppet and cannot look after his people? I want to be with you, Zuko. I want to grow old and have children with you. But would that be at the cost of my people living a shadow of a life?" She leaned her head against his chest.

"You would choose a loveless life and a heightened war over ending it and living with me?" His voice broke in disbelief.

"Giving into all of your father's demands that would come with marriage is no peace, Zuko. It's a death sentence. You can't mix politics with how I feel about you."

Her eyes were tearing. I had not seen this strong young woman cry for quite some time. Not even during her last visit to me when she was alone.

"When I ask if you will marry me and your reply is a resounding no because of my father how can I not mix your feelings with politics," Zuko replied sharply. "Katara, I am asking you to live with me and you just said you couldn't! I don't know how you've been feeling these past months, but I have been dying inside. I need you. Seeing you is my refuge, holding you is like heaven, and those were taken from me when this war began. Now you want me to live without even the hope of catching a glimpse of your face. You can't do that to me, Katara. You can't just leave me!"

She looked at him. His eyes were wide, pleading. She broke and her own tears started to fall.

"Zuko, I don't want to leave. Why can't you see that? I'm just as terrified as you are that we'll never see each other again, but my family's lives are on the line! I can't abandon them. They need me," she cried out.

"And I don't?" He countered.

"Not as much as they do right now. Can't you see this is tearing me apart. You both mean so much to me, but I can't do anything that will benefit both of you. I feel so helpless," she wept.

Her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably. They both seemed so small in the darkness like it would swallow them whole except for the patch of moonlight that shone over the meadow. Watching her tremble, Zuko finally seemed to come to an understanding. Sometimes fate has a different road for us, even when there is another one that looks much more inviting. He closed the gap between them.

"Ok, Katara, but I'm still going to suggest the marriage to my father. It could be the best solution if he considers it. It could also halt the onslaught for a few days to give your people rest," he said with conviction in his voice.

"I'm to marry an Air Clan member within two moons, Zuko. It's not something I can stop. No matter how much I wish I could," she sobbed out.

"Then I'll just have to stop this war before then, now won't I?" Zuko cupped Katara's cheek and wiped her tears away. His eyes held a longing in them. For what I could not guess because the options were countless. Her eyes echoed his yearning.

"We will have to end the war. Not just you," she replied.

"Yes, we," he said softly, but I could hear the hesitation in his voice.

At this he leaned down and in. She leaned in to meet him, their lips catching each other. The kiss started with the tenderness and softness I was used to, but then it deepened into a need. They responded to one another, one pulling the other closer, the other shifting to fit to their partner perfectly. Soon there was no room between them. Zuko held her against my trunk, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other at the curve of her lower back. Her own arms were wrapped about him pulling him as closely as possible.

I almost thought they would never separate, but soon both relaxed the hold they had on the other. Their slowly lips separated, eyes still closed, savoring the moment. Zuko tilted his forehead to meet hers, keeping his arms wrapped protectively around her.

"Will I be able to see you again?" he asked, his eyes searching hers. There was that nuisance hope again.

"I don't know, but I want to," she sighed leaning into him.

"Meet me here in a week. Same time," he uttered over her lips.

"Ok," she whispered.

And with that she gave him a soft kiss and they parted ways. Each glancing back in turn as they wandered back to their villages in the moonlight, a new seed of hope planted in both their hearts and mine. A hope that the war might end, that they would both live, that they might be together. But that's the sad thing about hope. It's a fragile wish that circumstance feeds and small events nurture only to have reality crush it in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you guys all enjoyed the chapter! As you can see, the shit hath hitteth the fan... eth. (10 points and a taste of the next chapter if you can tell me what that quote is from). In other words, it's getting exciting! (I hope.)
> 
> Fun Fact about our narrator Nairn. I went looking for names for trees and Nairn is a Scottish boys name that means dwells by the alder tree.
> 
> So, next question for you all: What would you do if you were in Zuko and Katara's shoes right now? Would you stay and fight? Split up? Book it? Let me know! And I am absolutely serious that if you review and/or tell me where I got the quote from I will send you a teaser from the next chapter! And if you have a constructive criticism for the story shoot it my way! I'm looking to improve here! (And I always reply with a thank you to reviews. If you have time to write to me, I have time to write back)
> 
> HUGE thank you to EVERYBODY for reading and kudoing this story. Your support means the world! Special thanks to SoapDuck, peter pan's horcrux, and wannabewonderbender for beta reading and if you haven't checked out wannabe's story Gods & Monsters yet Go do it! (you won't regret it) And lastly I have a tumblr- harky2192- if you are interested in following my day to day shinanagins.
> 
> Remember to stay awesome! ~Harky


	5. Worrying

Beneath The Alder Tree- Chapter 5: Worrying

Disclaimer: AtLA and all associated characters belong to Bryke, all plot contents and Nairn belong to me

While the clans share few things, old legends of the world tend to transcend social boundaries. Stories are one of the things that remind people they are connected. I've seen many of the legends humans tell today play out before me and watched the truth take on a life of its own, changing subtly with each retelling.

Some legends are so old few trees in the forest even remember their origins. One such legend, so old the truth of it has been lost in the vestiges of time, has been on the tongues of many lately. The humans tell a tale of a man and a spirit that took place before I was even a sapling. It was a time of peace where the clans held a grand council of their eldest and wisest members. The story goes that a time of hardship fell upon the clans. Drought had ravaged the land and food was scarce. Resources were not being spread equally among the people, so a young man (whose clan origin changes with each telling of the tale) stood up against the council. He said that they were not feeding the people and hoarding the food for themselves.

For this, the young man was banished from his clan. He had done something so unforgiving, a deed so terrible that none of the other clans would offer him shelter, so he took to the forest. He seethed about the decision. There was food going to waste that the people could eat. He just needed to figure out how to make that happen.

He wandered for many days before he came across a spirit. It was not one he recognized from the stories the elders told around the fires. The spirit was ephemeral at first, a clouded mist that floated through the air, but as the man came closer it began to take a human-like form. He stopped, eyes disbelieving, spirits usually ran when humans approached, but this one stood before him in her full form. Draped in red, a rope tied about her waste, but he couldn't see her face. Her head was tipped forward and the brim of her hat covering her countenance. Mist rose around her seemingly from nowhere.

"I've seen what is happening to the villages," she said. "The rain and crop spirits have left your people wanting this year," she smoothly stated.

The man, dumbfounded, slowly nodded his head.

"I can help you feed your people," she added.

"How?" the man asked regaining the ability to speak.

"Go to the stream. There is something there for you. You will know what to do once you see it." He barely caught a glimpse of the red and yellow on her face as she looked him in the eye, then vanished. He stood stunned for a moment for the spirit he encountered was the Painted Lady. The spirit charged with watching over those in need.

Once his astonishment wore off he made his way to the stream just as he was told. He weaved through the trees mumbling "you'll know what to do once you see it" to himself the as he made his way to the stream. Once he reached the trickling water he paused again to look about.

He saw nothing. What could the Painted Lady have been trying to show him? Just as he was about to turn, something in the water caught his eye. He walked to the stream and peered over the edge to see a face peering back at him.

Blue with a fanged grin, it startled him at first, but then he looked more closely and discovered it was a mask. He held it dripping in his hands. What did the Painted Lady want him to do with this?

He turned about and by a tree's base was a pair of dao swords that hadn't been there before. He glanced around again. He guessed the swords must be for him as well, so he sat down under the tree's branches and stared intently at the newly found objects. What was he to do with a mask and two swords?

As he sat contemplating it finally dawned on him. Masks are disguises and dao swords are an extremely versatile weapon. He knew what the Painted Lady wanted him to do.

And so began the days of the Blue Spirit. The people called him a savior; the clan leaders called him a threat to the peace. No one knew how he did his many feats. All they knew was that they no longer held hunger in their bellies or sickness in their bodies.

So the man continued helping those in need, and to this day it is still said when something miraculous or lucky occurs that the Blue Spirit brought it even though the spirit stopped coming a long time ago. But recently, the spirit in question has been visiting the Water Clan quite frequently.

/\/\/\/\

When summer fell into autumn it became clear the Water Clan had been hit the hardest by the fighting. They had begun to rebuild from the last raid, but their fields sat blackened and little could be done. The days were growing shorter and while the forest was able to provide some, the clan still lacked enough for the winter. Hakoda was beginning to worry.

Then, miracle of miracles, the Blue Spirit began to visit. It was remarkably soon after I last saw my two lovers, maybe only a day or so. But the spirit knew the need of the Water Clan's people. They found bushels of wheat and extra game sitting in the village's plaza in the morning. Small things were done in the night to help rebuild from prior raids. All small things, but all much appreciated.

As the days grew progressively darker and bitter with cold, my leaves began to turn, the fighting slowed in preparation for winter, and I saw and heard much of the Blue Spirit. It was the talk of the clans and the forest, the man who was a shadow. Oh, yes this "spirit" who brought food and furs was a man. One I knew all too well in fact. The Blue Spirit came by every night he went on a self-assigned mission to collect his blue-fanged mask and swords hidden in a nook near the tangle of my roots. For you see, the Blue Spirit was none other than Zuko.

The first night he appeared beneath my branches alone I was confused. He and Katara had said they would not return until the next week. But then he placed the mask on his face and slung the sheathed swords and a bow on his back and headed into the forest. He was gone for sometime before he reemerged with a kill. As he set out towards the water village his eyes held a set determination in them.

Although I may not be the best at human emotions I can put two and two together, my dear friends. He had the same look in his eyes as the night he spent in my branches alone. This was the decision he must have made that night, to fight this war his own way and alone. This was why he had hesitated when she made him promise that they would end the strife and fighting together. But he wasn't going to allow her to come into death's view if he could help it. So he continued to steal from the Fire Clan and give to the Water Clan. It wasn't long before people took notice.

/\/\/\/\

"Katara," he sighed out in relief and embraced her when she made it to him. She had come later that night than he anticipated. I could feel the pit of fear in his stomach grow with each passing minute. They held each other close, simply taking comfort in the other's presence. The pureness of their small bliss bled through the ground into my roots. When they finally they broke apart, hands still touching, the tingle remained and it saddened me when it began to fade.

"How are you? Is your family ok? The Fire Clan has been a light about provisions for the winter disappearing. They're blaming your clan," he added with distaste.

"I'm fine, Zuko. Our clan has been gossiping as well. The Blue Spirit's been coming—presents have been left outside the meeting house for us during the nights. Who knows whether it's truly a spirit or not, but it helps" she mused.

"Either way, how are your people? Has the pressure lightened?" he inquired.

"A bit, but my father is still depending on the marriages. That's why he won't wait for spring," the small smile that had graced Katara's lips slid away. She buried her face into Zuko's chest again, his arms wrapping reflexively around her. As he held her he began to rock gently side to side.

"Don't worry, Katara, we have time. We can figure out how to be together. We still have almost two months," he said brushing her hair from her face. She caught his hand and held it stepping back to look him in the eye.

"I know. I'm just nervous. Sokka's already met his betrothed… He likes her," she added.

He nodded once in response, not knowing which way she was taking this.

"He's supposed to come in two weeks time. The man I'm to marry. I know I couldn't ever love someone as much as I do you, Zuko, but if he is kind it will be hard to hate him," she whispered.

His jaw clenched at the thought of another man being any sort of object of her attention or kindness and pulled her back into his arms, resting his head atop hers.

"Have you spoken to your father?" she mumbled into his shirt.

"I have and he's slighted the idea saying that our clan could never stoop so low as to marrying one of you," his anger simmered in his throat. "I'm sorry, Katara."

She untucked her head from beneath his chin. Their eyes connected. "Zuko, never apologize for actions you are unable to control. You tried. That's what counts. We just need to try something else," she assured him, brushing his hair from his eyes.

"But what? Do we openly defy our clans?" he questioned.

"There has to be something. I haven't tried talking to my clan yet. I'll see if Sokka can help me try to persuade my father to put off my marriage. It'll give us more time. And if that spirit or man or whatever it is keeps blessing us, we may make it with what the foragers are bringing in," she rushed.

"But if that isn't enough, if we are pushed to the edge, Katara, you'll have to make a decision," he held her eyes with his making sure his words sunk in, and they did.

She broke the gaze and turned away, looking up at the moon arms crossed.

After a moment, she spoke. "You know, we haven't sparred in a while," she turned back to him, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Care to see if our skills are still matched?"

He smirked, "That is a dangerous suggestion, but if it would make you happy…" his words bled into his first attack as he lunged forward, but Katara was ready with her block. They fell into their dance as if it had not been a full season cycle since they last sparred. It lightened my heart to see them in this contest of wills once again, but I knew that Katara had simply been hiding her fear. She, like Zuko, wanted this to work. It seemed to be a hard thing, being lovers caught in the middle of a war. There seemed to be no solution that would not cause someone pain, but from what I've seen of humans, most things bring some form of pain whether intentionally or not.

Their spar carried them around my base. They jumped and tumbled evading each other with ease until Zuko came too close to one of my roots. Katara very tactfully backed him in to it and causing him to trip and fall. I do not think however that she expected to follow after him.

They landed with a thud, Katara atop Zuko, both breathless. Once they regained their breaths both broke into a fit of laughter creating little clouds in the chill that had settled in the late night air. Then Katara's laughter faded. She was still lying across Zuko's chest their mouths dangerously close. When Zuko began to prop himself up on his elbows, still chuckling at the clumsiness of the fall, Katara rushed forward to kiss him. She held her lips to his until he responded in kind then drew away, eyes half lidded glancing up to see his response. Their eyes connected and a hushed silence fell around them. Zuko sat up and pulled her fully into his lap his eyes never leaving hers.

I could sense a need growing in them as Zuko leaned forward to kiss her again. There was no softness, but instead a hunger behind it which soon consumed them. I had seen their hands wander and clothes loosen as they kissed before, but they had always separated themselves at a certain point either when one drew away breathless or an odd squeak came out. This time was different though. With the moon light shimmering around them, Zuko's lips left Katara's and began to work their way down her neck as they tugged at each other's sashes and robes, not even noticing the chill as they slid off.

As Zuko trailed kisses, Katara's hands roamed over his now bare torso. When his lips reached her revealed chest bindings he began to search for the tie, his fingers fumbling at the back. He started to become frustrated, but the knot slipped and her binding's unraveled. With her chest binding undone he looked at her form as if entranced. Katara's blush became deeper and she started to shrink, her arm rising to cover her chest, but Zuko stopped her.

"No. You're beautiful," he said catching her mouth with his, their bare chests meeting, a whimper coming from Katara's throat.

His kiss deepened and his hands began to wander soon finding the buds on her breasts. When he ran his thumb across it a sound I had not heard before escaped from Katara and Zuko made one in reply. They soon seemed to lose themselves in each other's bodies, hands exploring and touching every exposed piece of skin wandering ever farther down. Zuko's hand slipped under Katara's lower bindings causing her to arch into him.

"Ah, Zuko," slipped from her lips as he kissed her neck.

In response her hand ran down his chest sliding below his waist band. He hissed when she touched him there immediately bending forward to catch her mouth again and lean her gently back to the ground. I could feel fire and passion coursing through their veins, but despite this, as her back touched the ground, Katara suddenly froze.

"Zuko," her voice rushed out shakily.

"Hmmm," he replied, still scattering kisses across her skin.

"No, Zuko, we need to stop. I, I can't, we can't do this, not now," she gasped out as his hand hit a particularly sensitive nerve.

Her words finally began to sink in and he paused slowly drawing back.

"I'm sorry, I should have had more control," he said turning away in shame as she sat up.

"No, I wanted it too, but…" she turned her head as well, her next thought left unsaid. They both knew. She was promised to another. It would be a great dishonor to her clan and family if she were, I believe the humans say, tainted.

As they began to redress the chill of the night finally hit Katara and she shivered. Zuko noticed and taking a seat by my trunk he opened his arms motioning for her to join him. She did and as they sat there I could feel the heat from Zuko's body rise in temperature to ward off the cold.

They sat for a time beneath my branches just as they used to, but with the sadness of knowing they must leave once again hanging in the air. They did not talk of what to do about the war again. When they parted ways to their own villages the question still hung heavy in the air and this time their promise to meet again was not spoken, but simply understood.

/\/\/\/\

Zuko continued acting as the spirit. It continued only a day past his meeting Katara before I noticed another shadow accompanying him. The follower also carried dual blades and dressed in the blackness of the night.

Three nights in a row the new shadow simply followed him. He followed from the edge of the forest across my meadow to the Water Clan and back again. Each night lingering, then following. It took me sometime to realize who it was. I had not seen him in my meadow for some time, and even then he had been so small.

The fourth night, he waited in the darkness of my branches. Not even the gold in his eyes gleaming from the moonlight. It was odd having a human that was neither Zuko nor Katara treading across my limbs. His steps were light and careful, but felt out of place. He found a nook among my limbs and remained there watching the edge of the forest for Zuko to emerge.

He came late that night, the moon almost at its zenith. Dark as night, he glided across the meadow making hardly a sound. He came to the nook in my trunk and roots where he hid his mask and swords. As he dawned his mask, I noticed Zuko stiffen slightly, suddenly aware of the extra presence. He continued to tie the mask in place, acting as if nothing were awry. Just as he finished the tie the shadow leapt from my branches, swords drawn.

Zuko whipped his blades out from their sheath just in time for his assailant's swords to crash against his. He shoved the masked being back, hard, into my trunk. The attacker swiftly parried Zuko's blades and twirled away turning deftly back towards his opponent and began a swift onslaught that even I could barely follow. And, my dear audience, I have followed many a sword fight over the years.

I watched as the two swordsmen fought each other, both quick and light on their feet they were an even match. But Zuko was tiring. His parries began to slow and his foot work sloppy as they crisscrossed beneath my branches. The assailant's steps were tight and intricate. He was pressing Zuko back and a poor block knocked his mask askew. I thought for a moment that Zuko would be overwhelmed, but a sudden burst of energy I could feel down to my roots came to him. He forced the attacker to take the defensive, skillfully blocking strikes from both sides.

Their dance continued until Zuko backed the masked man against my trunk. Blades still flying, Zuko caught one blade against both of the intruders forcing them up then raised his second to the intruder's throat. Both swordsmen were heaving, trying to draw breaths of air deep into their lungs.

"Who are you?! Why are you here?" Zuko spat out, his mask long fallen from his face.

"A friend and here to help," the masked man spoke.

Zuko froze. He knew that voice. He lowered his weapons, slowly stepping back giving the man room. His arms hung limp at his sides now, disbelief taking command of his features.

"Lu Ten?" Zuko whispered, hope seeping into his voice and eyes.

After sheathing his swords the man pulled the black fabric down from his face to reveal a wide smile. "I see the pupil has exceeded the teacher. You fought well, Zuko," Lu Ten replied.

The disbelief on Zuko's face slowly morphed into anger. He dropped his blades and leapt forward, shoving Lu Ten back against my bark, hands griping his shirt.

"Why are you here? You and Uncle abandoned me. Why are you here!?" Zuko shouted in to the silence of the night.

"Zuko, you know why we had to leave," Lu Ten spoke slowly and evenly harshly contrasting the rage that seeped from Zuko's being.

"But how could you leave me with him?! He scarred me, left me for dead, disowned me! Do you know what it's like to constantly walk the edge of a sword knowing that if you take one wrong step you're done for?" Zuko was seething, teeth gritted, tears in his eyes.

"Yes, Zuko. I do. Dad and I walked that line for months before we left. And we were always watching. You weren't alone," he replied, voice still steady.

Little did Zuko know, Lu Ten and Iroh had kept on eye on him. Word traveled through the forest that dark shadows sped through the night towards the Fire Clan. Shadows that hung above the chief's hut and the meeting area with ever watchful eyes and listening ears. Shadows that knew the forest well and all the hiding spots held. Even the trees lost track of them from time to time. No, Iroh and Lu Ten never left. They remained close by.

Zuko's grip on Lu Ten's shirt relaxed some. "So why did you come back? Have you been the one following me the last few nights?"

"Ah, so you did notice. I was beginning to wonder if we'd failed when we taught you. And it's hard to remain away when such an entity as the Blue Spirit returns," he nodded to the fallen mask, "and with a girl too."

As Lu Ten met Zuko's eyes his grip tightened again. The exchange held for a short time before Zuko pushed him away and turned to pick up his mask and swords.

"It doesn't concern you," he said after sheathing the blades, back still turned to his cousin.

"Zuko, you just mentioned walking on a blade's edge. Haven't you just made the blade sharper?" his cousin questioned. Zuko remained silent, staring into the darkness.

"How long have you known about Katara?" he asked after a long while.

"Uncle's known since you were small. I only found out recently. When I questioned his judgment he said he thought she was good for you," he leaned back against my bark. I could feel the tension in his back as he spoke.

"She's been the only glimmer of light in my life since you both left," Zuko sighed, finally turning towards Lu Ten.

"Is that why you're putting yourself even more at risk with this… game you're playing? What you're doing is treasonous. Stealing from the clan to help their sworn enemy? Zuko, if you're discovered you'll be killed. How would that help anybody? You are next in line to be chief. You're the greatest hope there is for peace."

"You think I don't know that, Lu Ten? Do you know how many times I've discussed this with Katara? But Katara's people need help now and if my dad wins this war before I have the opportunity to make a difference then what does it matter? Anyway, you and Uncle are back, so he can take his place as chief and you'd be the successor again," he stated as if it were obvious.

"We can't be back, Zuko. Not yet, not until we have a plan to defeat Ozai. That's partially why Dad sent me to talk with you," he is words faded.

"What? You're coming to help now? Where were you a month ago? When the fighting was about to break? You haven't been here Lu Ten. How can you know what we're up against?" Zuko's face twisted as he sneered.

Lu Ten shook his head, "We know exactly what's happening on both sides. We can be an extra set of eyes and ears for you, Zuko. We can help you win."

"Can you help me make sure Katara and her people are safe? If I end up hurting her… I'm not sure I could forgive myself after that," he sighed looking towards the Water Clan's side of the forest.

"I will do my best, but I wouldn't worry too much. Dad has a plan," Lu Ten replied.

Zuko turned back towards his cousin. "Ok, let's hear it."

By the time they were done discussing Iroh's plan to remove Ozai as chief the dark of the night had given way to the soft purples of dawn. Zuko agreed to meet Lu Ten and Iroh in four days time the night after he met Katara. He would discuss the plan with her to see if she thought the Water Clan would work with the three Fire outcasts. As the sun began to rise, the two men dressed in black hurried away to begin preparations to fight back.

Unexpectedly, they were not the only humans I saw that day. Katara came to me later that morning. It was extremely rare to see anyone in my field during the day now. It was dangerous and could start a skirmish, but danger never seemed to deter my young waterbender. She walked toward me with purpose, her eyes concentrated on my branches, however once she reached me she did not climb into my branches as she usually did. She simply leaned against my trunk, eyes focused on the forest's edge as if she were waiting for something.

As it happened she wasn't waiting for something, but a someone. Her brother soon came into view, his face as hard set as his sisters, a hint anger in his eyes.

"I thought I told you not to come out here alone, Katara," Sokka stated as soon as he was in earshot.

"I'm not, you're here," she coolly retorted.

"Because I saw you leaving the village," he countered.

"Do you really think you would have seen me leave if I hadn't wanted you to?" she raised an eyebrow questioningly.

He rolled his eyes and gave her a stern look.

"Anyways, I needed to talk with you without being overheard," she pushed herself off my trunk.

"What is it that's so important you had to make me follow you to the battle field?" he asked skeptically.

"I need you to help me convince dad to push back my marriage," she said gaze focused fully on Sokka, eyes pleading for him to help.

"Katara, why would you want to do something like that?! The sooner you marry Aang the sooner the Air Clan is on our side of the war as well," he squinched his face in confusion until something dawned on him and his eyes widened.

"You're still seeing Zuko aren't you? Katara! You told me you stopped seeing him when the fighting started! What are you thinking?! Do you know what would happen if someone found the two of you?! You—you," he sputtered out.

"Stop, Sokka! I know," she interjected. "I had stopped seeing him, but remember when I went down in one of the first fights?" Sokka nodded. "Zuko saw that. He was worried and came to our village to see if I was alive. Sokka, I had to drag him out and yell at him, but the whole time all I could think of was if he were caught and what would happen if he had been hurt," she took a deep breath, her brother still listening, but skeptically. "Sokka, I love him. Do you know how hard it is to be away from each other for that long?"

"It's still not enough of a reason to put yourself in harm's way, Katara. Especially when nothing can come of whatever infatuation you have with this firebender anyway," he stated.

"Sokka, you should be able to understand now that you have Suki! I know it's been a short time, but you love her! You look at her with the same expression Zuko does when he looks at me. Could you imagine being separated from Suki the same way I am from Zuko?" she asked pointedly.

Sokka sighed. He knew she had a point. "Katara, this isn't the same."

"Yes, Sokka, it is, and I need your help," she pleaded.

"What am I supposed to say to dad? He won't be pleased to hear that you 'don't feel ready.' You need something more than that, sis."

"And there is more. I need you to tell him that there's a Water Clan boy I'm interested in. You just don't know which one yet. And that I want some time to decide," Katara said as if it were a matter of fact.

"Dad won't believe that. He's asked you many times whether there's a boy you'd be interested in and your duty to the clan would override a love interest anyway. No, you need something else," he crossed his arms.

Katara started to pace. "Can you think of anything Sokka? It has to be something that goes against ritual or protocol, something," she half asked, half mumbled. Then she paused and looked up. A smile stretching across her face, "I have it!" she exclaimed.

Sokka looked at her dubiously, "What is it?"

"I should be able to delay it another week or two by telling him the current schedule lands during my moon time," she stated rather proudly.

"Eww, Katara. I did not need to hear that!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Sorry! But thanks for coming out," she replied.

"It's not as if I had a choice in the matter," he sniffed, "I've told you time and again it's dangerous. But let's get back to the village. It's cold out here."

And he turned away as a gush of winter wind danced through my branches.

"Alright," Katara said turning to give one last glance and my now bare branches before following her brother back across the meadow and into the woods.

/\/\/\/\

Zuko returned again that night and the next to collect his mask and swords to become the Blue Spirit. All seemed to be going well, but I could feel something in the winter wind that told me otherwise. There was a new presence in the forest on those evenings. One that did not bode well for any parties that used my branches as a safe place to meet.

It was the third night that the odd presence made their self known to me and in the worst way. I tend to enjoy the touch of a human, but this one's was vile. They climbed my branches and perched near my trunk in the early evening, long before Zuko usually came. The small hands were cold and not just because of the wind.

They stayed and watched, waited for their prey to come to them. As the earth was folded in darkness, Zuko finally appeared. The human in my branches shifted ever so slightly, but not enough to cause a quake in my limbs.

Once Zuko got to the base of my tree, he began take out his swords and mask as usual, but then the being in my branches moved again. Zuko noticed.

"Katara? Is that you?" he asked, a softness entering his voice reserved only for her. "I thought we weren't meeting until tomorrow. What are you doing here?"he added.

"I could ask you the same question, Zuzu."

The coy voice came from the shadows of my branches and the odd girl that came earlier jumped down and landed in front of Zuko.

"Azula," Zuko spat, his voice filled with loathing.

"Hello, brother."

/\/\/\/\

Katara came the next night at the time she and Zuko usually met, but he never came. She waited well into the early morning hours pacing back and forth, climbing up and down my branches. She was as restless as she was as a child. When the black of night gave way to the colors of dawn she finally left, worryingly chewing her lip.

She came back the next day, and the next, and the next. Each time waiting for him to come, to tell her the reason he hadn't been able to make it the night before, to kiss her, to assure her that everything was ok. But each night ended with the disappointment of dawn arriving before Zuko did.

She couldn't understand why he wasn't coming. He always came. If anything she was the one who would be late, but they would both always come. I could feel confusion, worry, and frustration ripple off of her being as she waited and the disappointment as she shuffled wearily back to her village.

It broke my heart to see her so alone, clutching the stone he had given her, wondering why he hadn't come night after night. This is one of the cases that being a tree is not helpful. I couldn't tell her what had happened to him or where he was. I think it might have eased her pain to just know, but sometimes knowing is an even greater burden.

The fourth night she came to me she stayed in the cold past dawn waiting so late into the morning that the sun broke above the line of trees in the forest beyond my meadow. She had climbed into my branches at this point and was sitting quietly watching the sun rise as she slipped he hand into the pocket of her parka.

She took out the stone he had given her, a heaviness in her pocket that matched the heaviness in her heart. Sitting alone in my branches she rubbed her thumb back and forth across its etched surface. Tears forming in her eyes once again, she whispered, "I miss you, come back to me."

"Katara?" a voice came from below. It startled her and she quickly wiped away her tears, but it was not the voice I knew she wanted to hear.

"Katara? Is that you?" The new voice asked again. This time she climbed down my branches and jumped to the ground.

"Hi Aang," she sighed wearily. "What are you doing out here?"

The Air Clan had arrived only a day or two before just as scheduled. It was a month or so before the wedding was to take place.

"I was worried. You said that you usually tend to the fire in the morning and you weren't there. Sokka said you may have ventured out here," he replied. "Isn't it dangerous to be this close to the border?"

"It's ok. I just come out here to think. When I was a girl I used to play in this meadow all the time. I know it very well, and there isn't any fighting because it's winter. No need to worry," she explained.

"Of course," he said. "Should we head back to the village then, before your father begins to wander where we are? We can just say we went for a morning walk," he suggested.

"Sure," she said with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. She looked back to me once more before the entered to forest, the longing, worry, and heart break in her eyes as clear at the cold winter sky.

Little did they know just how much had taken place on the other side of the forest in the last few days and how what had been teetering on the edge of the bridge was about to fall and cause ripples that would change the course of the Clan's history.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Duh, duh, duh. What happened to Zuko?! Hey guys! Yes, I know I lied about when the update would be, but it's still monthly at least! I was having a rough time in the semester, but super long chapter! So yay! (Please let me know if you see any horrendous punctuation mistakes!) I really hope you are all still enjoying it! Huge thanks to all of the amazing people who took time out f their busy schedules to review, follow, and fav! You really do make my day! And a special thanks to SoapDuck for beta-ing!
> 
> Review question: What is your favorite quote from AtLA/LoK and why? And bonus if you guess mine! (Hint it's in the first season.)
> 
> Please, please, please review! They give me life and might motivate me a bit more to get more chapters out over winter break! (Which is soon! yay!) Thank you all once again! You are all amazing! Stay Awesome! Also find my on tumblr at harky2192

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everybody! Thank you for reading the first chapter of Beneath the Alder Tree! This story originated as a drabble in my drabble series A Last Confession on ff.net and got a little out of hand, so now it has its own fic! I would really like to hear what you all think about the first chapter! Special thanks to SoapDuck, wannabewonderbender, and peter pan's horcrux for their encouragement and support for making this a story!
> 
> Review Question: What do you think of the AU so far? How do you think that's going to effect Zuko and Katara's relationship?


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